(Ecofin Agency) - The Egyptian government plans to start importing rice to increase stocks and better control the domestic market, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail announced. The strategy is to offset the decline in the water-intensive crop’s production. Indeed, the country has recently cut its rice production to preserve the Nile's water resources as it feared the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project could threaten the river. Traders said Egypt could import up to 1 million tons of rice next year after being a rice exporter to Arab markets for decades. Last January, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation already reduced the area dedicated to rice cultivation from 451,920 to 304,080 hectares for this season. Likewise, the government set a fine of EGP8,000 ($447) per hectare for cultivation outside the authorized areas.  

Espoir Olodo